Three days it took for a royal galley to bear Ser Ranulph Wendwater, one of the king’s justiciar’s, and Ser Jaesin Lannister, one of the king’s White Swords, to Crackclaw Point with three dozen men-at-arms. A week followed, as Ser Ranulph attempted to put to rights the troubles there, sparked when it was said that Lord Staunton kidnapped the young and wilful Lady Evelyn of House Boggs, who inherited from her brother when he and their father died in the terrible flight down the Boneway. But the lady had been promised, to a bold knight of House Brune, Ser Osney the Quick, and what followed was no mere continuation of some old feud (though there were those aplenty). The Brunes retaliated, and then Lord Staunton escalated the response when some of his kinsmen among the Crabbs joined him, inevitably bringing in the Hardys. And then the Caves and the Pynes joined the contest, and it’s said even some of the knights of House Wode have joined the fracas for lack of fighting in the recent past.

Ser Ranulph’s task was very difficult indeed, given all this. Yet it seemed he might have begun to make some headway, convincing Lady Evelyn’s uncles that the king would never invalidate her claim in their favor, and thereby encouraging them to place pressure on the warring sides to resolve matters peacefully. Wendwater’s plans extended to having Lord Mooton offer his heir’s granddaughter to the Stauntons…

But that came to nothing. An ambush as a parley was taking place, and Ser Ranulph was dead, and Ser Jaesin captured, and almost all of their men put to the sword. The two survivors, men from Crackclaw Point themselves, managed to flee afoot and hide amidst the bogs and hills. Evading capture, a journey that took three days by sea stretched to a week, and then two before they finally found help and fresh horses. And so they arrived at King’s Landing, with the most harrowing tale to tell, and accusations against… against…

Against who? There, the court gossip falters. It seems that the men have no clear notion just _who_ ambushed them, with each man having quite a different idea as to the culprit: one says the Stauntons, and the other the Brunes. Regardless, what followed their arrival was that Prince Viserys himself held an audience with them, demanding answers to his questions, and learning the lay of things.

And now? Now, the word is that another justiciar shall be sent to Crackclaw Point, and with him a military expedition sizable enough to give the worst of the miscreants pause. But who shall lead the expedition? Ser Aleyn of the Kingsguard? Oakenfist? The Hand himself? Some wonder, as the preparations are already under way…